Automatic train-pipe connecter



March 30 1926.

J. v. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE 'CONNECTER original Fi le'd March 10, 1920 .2 Shets-Sheet 1 .J. V. ROBHQSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Mai'ch 30 1926. 1,578,368 7 Original Filed March 1Q, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

@3311 GHQ??? Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

AUTOMA'EI C: ream, rrnc onnncrnni.

mutate med l/[siren 'i'ogiaee al ire; e sesis wneneeee, August 13, 1925.:

To. a lhvizo m it may m Be it known that I, Josue Bonmsoiv, a citizen of the United'States, and a resident of the city ot'New York, State of New Jl-ork, have iinvented certain new and useful 1m; pi'oveinents in Automatic Tlalhelfipe Con,-

' necters, of which the following isaspecifir i y the air and steam pipes between railway.v

tion. 7,

p .f h'Iyinvention relates toxautoniatic[train pipe connectors, for autoniatlcallycoupling cars, though it maybe used for. effecting such coupling between electrically hauled cars; 'An object of rny invention is to improve the coupling head ofgsu ch con necters,

and'niore especially to simplify the conof c'onstructionandinterchangeability; 1T0- struction of such heads whereby the. cost of manufacture may bematerially reduced, and

uniformity of" construction in; largejquan tities readily attained. "In an equipn ento f this character efficient interchan e between mating heads, made at sundry andyari us 1 tin1es, mustlbe certain and dependable. 1* or that reason it is essential that theldesign of the head be such as to readily assure uniform construction. ,To' attain this object is the purpose of my invention, and to'that end I provide' what is known as a butt faceflcou pling. head having: separately constructed guiding prongs; Heretotore, suchuprongs have been constructed integrally vwitlrtl e base of the coupling head. Such design pro; duces a construction diflicult to successful cast, and requiring,a'fllargelamountof \j; pensive machine work to attainuniformlty remove these obstacles 1 construct Lngyv proved coupl ng head ofthree-p,1eces,,con sisting of a palrof independent w ngs and a base. This construction greatly facilitates the economic and, unrt'orrn manufacture of the coupling head and produces a rugged,

. and durable construction-offering the maxi;

ments, combinations, and constructions her muni service'efiiciency and dependableirr terchangeability. v y 7 v My improvement consists of the arrange-.

inafter described, pointed out in {the appends ed claiins, and illustrated in the accompany ing drawings in which, .Figure 1v is a "sideelevation: of myi ng proved coupling head showing someot the parts in'section. 5;:

' Figure 2 isa front face view of thecon:

struction shown in Figure l. In thisview the upper wing of myi nproved coupling head iS SllOWliflliil section takeneon thealine' 2- 2 otigu rell while sections of the lower wing are shown as taken on the lines a-a, h el), ands Icot Figures Zand 3. r

- gure 8 is? t Figure vis an'earview ofthe .constfru shown inil liguifel with thegwings or prongs 'Figurefi is avertical sec the line:5,5 of Figure 4;]

p w I tion throughthe' H structure shown in Figure and taken on 7 c, H! 00 p p n ,plan view of theconstruction shown nr l igure 1.

application, Seria1 342,8()6,filed Decr 5, 1919,

coinprisinga laterally diverging, hollow cone duit 6,, threadingly connected to; my ilnv proved couplinghead, as illustrated particularly in Figures 1, Sand 5 1 i I improved coupling headcomprises a base havingr three vertically aligned ports Orlfices 9 P ed a their Qrwar-d face-withajsuitableigasket 10, which projects slightly in advance? of the coupling-face 'IIIofE-hQ base B. Conc entric with theports 71:3. nd? fo i f j he ar i of he base B, n pples 12,113and 14, eachlextending rearwardly from thebase on the longitudinal;

aizisg'of each vof the said ports as illustrated QSPWMHX-d? F -1 17 511 7 e d ach of T'th'ese, ports 1 threaded to, receive a suit' 'f' hle in he dinary trainl'pipe. of the car-to anyimprored' tlrwhich to connect; the or;

coupling, ,head, 2 the f central port, 8 Zbeing threade iieceivethe, curved conduit ;6 of the support A. Diagonallyspaced at the opposite upper and lower sides of-lthe base B of my improvement, I; provide the-base l.

with apair of bosses or. lugs 15-,and 16, each having an opening extending therethrough and axially not, therhead as, shown. 5 Upon these bossesI mount-a pair of forwardly extending, E Qiltwfiil'dly f diverging, ,vertie'ally flaring guiding prongsC, each havingat its base a pair of dowels ,oincylindrically formed portions, 17, Jand 18 projecting rearwardly from angular flanges or. seats lQ-fand 20, v

formed at the base of each of the prongs C and I integrally therewith, as": shown.- The dowels 1 7, and. 18 are preferably pressed; into the Openingin the lugs l5 and l6 'andsecure-J ly riveted therein at the, rear face of such h g5 as Shown at i a d Q, th gh t y my;

, if desired, be otherwise.- or romoyably mounted in the-lugs as by means: of? a; cotter pin or ordinary nut and thread; In; cross..

section the wings or prongs G hare. the con formation illustrated at sections a, b and 'c of Figure'2 which gives to theprongsa guiding V .edge 23 which curves laterally of the head as illustrated, the curve of such edge at. the

base of the wings being but a slight curve as illustrated at '24, but gradually increasing towards the forward end'oftheprongs until ,7 it embraces the entire guiding edge 23' of of the base B as shown.

the prongs as shown, especially in Ei are 2; 'IALt-their-base the guiding edge. 23? of the l'aterallyof' the baseB at a; right'angl e thereprongs lies in a horizontal planeand: extends to, substantially on thet-ransverse,cents; For a sl'io f tanceinad-vance. of the coupling race 1.

the baseB- the guiding edge 23- of the lower" 1 prong inclines downwardly fromtheftransverse center lineof the base B' -whi-lef such of the surfaces 24 and 25 serves tovertically align the base B of mating headshaving'my improvement and to such heads in alignment. shown, particularly in ure 3, each of: the prongsG ext-ends'forward 1y from the coupling face 11 o-f'tljie-base- B at an; angle thereto for a; short distance and thence-flares outwardly, the 'angula-riiry form;

inga vertically disposed;bearihg surface 26 adaptedin; coupling 'to'unatewith a com- 'pl'ementally formed? bearing surf cc; 2'? at Y the sideof the base B1 Themating of;

7 ment' of the base Bj'o'f opposing; coupling surf-aces- 26--and.27 assures accurate alignheads having my improvemenuand hence,

in v cooperation with surfaces ale curately align, and maintain in such-align;

ment, the ports 7 8 Q'rand; the gaskets' li o of my improved support. It will be observed that the surfaces 27 flare. laterally of the base B and lie in the Vertical plane are integral: with. the surf-aces25 oftlie bosses I '15,'t;hebase Bbeingoblonginfront View and provided with diagonally spaced" upper and lower rounded corners 28 hich join the surfaces- 27 as shown. These roundedcorners 28 cooperate with the curved: portions-a, b. and o of. the'guiding'edges 23 of the proi' rg G tojprevent jamming of the coupling heads in-efie'cting couplingunder-conditionsof'eze comprisingin combination a vertically; distreme vertical and lateraldisalignment;

'- Any" suitable material may senses in the v construction of my improvedfcoupling head, but I preferably cast the base B thereofof any suitable metal, anddrop-forg'e the. prongs or guides G from steel or wrought "irora providing; them,, -for the purpose of greaten strength, with. ribs 29 which. project forwardly of the prongs on the rear sidev :thereoiand: a-ne integ'al' with the angularflanges or seats19 and 20; This construction. ofhead; guiding prong assures 7 great strength and durability and produces a design which'm-ay be readily cast or drop forged and economically machined and assembled To assure proper positioningand assembly of the prongs G" onthe base 13* the bosses- 15, and :16 are drilled so as to haye a definite relationfto the ports 7-,, 8 and: 9

and.to-the'surfaces25 and 27 Qfthebase B, '80

while the dowels 17 and 18. on the guiding prong-s- G are machined toa definite relation with respect to the surfaces 24 and 26 there-.

of? 'Hence,,when the prongs or wings O are assembled in the bosses 1 5 and. l6= they-"are so related to the base Biasto accurately align the ports 7, Sand 9 of mating heads; and

efficiently maintain them in such alignment if under all conditions of service. Goupling heads constructed in this inanner' may be readily closely fit-ted, thus minimizing the. relativemovement between mated heads and insuring a. tight an-defficient joint between a the; gaskets" 1-0- there'o-f, at all times. To red uce'thezweigh-t of thebaseB, and to prevent theheat from the steam passing through the pot-t9 of" the base affecting the gasket or the air carried in the central or air brakeport 8', 1* perforate the base B as at 30';

WVliat I claim as new isfz' 1. An automatic train pipe coupling head,

comprising in combination, a. base having a coupling face, a laterally extending in tegfral projection on saidbase, said projection having a fiatfrontface, a forwardly extending outwardly j diverging guiding prongconstructed Separate of, said baseand tion, and means for securing said prong on 'mounted on "the front face of said projectendingtherethrough and eachcarrying at its forward end a gasket, a plurality ofvertically aligned nipples'on the rear sidefof said: base and inte ral with the base and locatedi'concentrical y with said orifices and projecting rearwardlyof'said' base at a right' angle to the coupling face thereof; lugs diagonally;arranged on said base and integral with said base, each of saidgliugs haw. ing a fiatfront face upon whiclragguide prong may be secured. V

3. An automatic train pipe coupling-head,

posed base" having a plurality of verticallyaligned. openings therethrough and having also a flatcoup-Iing face lying in. the verti} cal" plane at a right angleto thelongitudinal; axis of the base, said base being oblong "in front view and being provided "with upper and lower rounded corners and having also inclined bearing surfaces lyingfentirely in the vertical plane at the sides-ofsaid base aiid"adjacent to 'saiclrouiided corners, a plurality of vertically aligned nipples formed integral with said base oirthe';rear side thereof and extending rearwardly therefrom, at a right anglelto the coupling. face of the base, the nipples being substantially concentrically disposed with respect-tos'aid openings in said base, a gasket mounted in each of said openings, lugs formed integrah ly with 'said' base and diagonally disposed thereon each of said lugs having a flat'fi'oiit face upon which a "guiding prong maybe secured.

4. An automatic train pipecoupling head, comprising i'n'combination a vertically disposed base having a, plurality of vertically aligned openings tlierethrough "and having also aflat couplingface lyingin thevertic-al plane at a r ght angle "-to the'longitudinal front'view and being 'i'rov'ided with upper V and lower rounded corners and having also cally aligned nipples formed integral with said base on the rear side thereofand'extenda ing rearwardly therefrom at a right angle to the coupling face of the'bas'e, the, nipples being substantially concentrically disposed with respect to said openings in ,said' base, a gasket inounted in each of said openings, a pair of forwardly extending outwardly flaring vertically inclined guiding prongs separate of said base for aligningsaid gas' kets with the gaskets of a counterpart cou pling head, and means on opposite sides of said base and positioned above and below the transverse center line of the base for securely attaching said guiding prongs 'to the base.

5. An automatic train coupling head, comprising in combination a base, a pair of projections formed integrally with the base, one of which projections is located above and the other of which is located below the transverse center line of the base and both of which extend laterally of the base in op-' posite directions, each of said projections having afront bearing face extending transversely to the axis of the. head, a pair of V I comprising in combination, avertically disindependent guiding prongs constructed separately of said base and mounted on said hearing faces of said pro ections and extending forwardly and laterally thereof, and

' means fors'ecuring each of said prongs in position on its respective one of, said projec tions.

-wardly vertically inclined guiding prong j'having at its-basea'portion which-pro ects into the perforation of said pro ection, and" .transverse center line of saidbase and ex,- itends laterally of the base-at substantially a 6; An automatic train pipe couplinghead,

comprising in combination, a vertically '(llS- posed base having a, perforated'projectionat one 'sid ether'eof, a forwardly extending outmeans for securely Ilocking saidflportioi'i fin said perforation.

7. An automatic train pipe couplinghead,f

coinpiisingiin combination, a vertically dis posed base having at one sidethe'reo'f a-proj 'jection which extends laterally of said base at substantially a right angle to {the side thei'eof, sai d projection being located on substantially the transverse center line'of said baseand being provided witlran inclined bearing surface, a guiding prong separateof saidbase and mounted 'onsaid projection and extending forwardly andlaterally thereof, said prong being provided with a guiding edge which is incl ined to correspond Wltll the inclination of said pro' ectionand which is also locatedon substantially;:the

right angle to the side thereof wherebynthe qi-nclined guiding edge of said prongmates 'VVlth the"complementary inclined bearing surface of said-projection on-an opposing head-when counterpart'heads couple up in service, and means for securing said guiding prong in position on said projection.

8. An automatic train pipecoupling head comprising in combination, a yerticallydisposed basehaving a transverselcoupling face and being provided at diagonally opposite sides with bearing surfaces one of which lies in the vertical plane and another of which lies in the horizontal plane on substantiallythe transverse center line of said base, a seat on said base and located at one side thereof and above said transverse center line, another seat onv said base and located at theside' thereof opposite the side on-which the first .mentioned seat is located below said trans" verse center line, a pair of forwardly extending outwardly diverging guiding prongs one of which is mounted on each of said seats, j

said guiding prongs being provided at their bases with bearing surfaces lying one in the vertical plane and another in the horizontal plane and'being adapted to mate with the aforesaid bearing surfaces of an opposing coupling head in coupling, and means for properly securing said guiding prongs'on said seats. I i j 9. An automatic train pipe coupling head the transverse center line of said base, the base being provided also at such sides with 1 1 a guiding edge which extends in the vertical plane for a substantial distanee to form a i seat for the guiding: prong of a mat ng coupling head andthence flares inwardly towards the center of said base, a seat at op- ;r posite sides of said base and provided with an openinox a pair of diagonally spaced forl ,wardly extending guiding prongs mounted one on each of said seats, and means extending into'the opening 111 said seats for r gidly secur ngsald prongs thereto.-

'10.An automatic train pipe coupling 'nally opposite sides thereof, and a pair of inbase and provided with; cylindrical portions dependent prongs formed separately ofsaid which extend axially of said. base through ,the perforations ln said bosses and are suitlably secured therein, each of said prongs Ibe ing; p-royided with bearing surfaces adapted to mate with and conform; to the aforesaid bearing surfaces at thesides. of said base, the prongs being prov ded also with a guidingedge which changes from a substan- 1. seems ially flat surface lying at "the base: of the prongs toa 'curved surface as the guiding edge'approaches the forward extremityof the prongs. 7 11. An automatic train pipe coupling head, comprising in combination, a yertic-al- 1y disposed base having aperforated' prO jection, the front faoe of said projection lying in substantially the same plane as the front face of. the base, a; forwardly extend- ;ing'outwardly diverging guiding prong constructed separate, of sald base andmounted on said projection, the; rear part of said pronghaVing a member secured in- ,a' per-.

roration of said PIOJfiCtLOIl;

12(An automatic tram pipe coupling head, comprising in combination, a base having a flat coupl ng face arranged substantially at right angles to. the long tudinal axis of the head,lugs integrallyconneeted with said base anddiagonallydisposed on op posite' sides'thereof, each of said lugs haymga front face, flying in substantially the same plane'as the coupling face of the base, a forwardly extending outw-ardlydiverging guiding prong mounted ,on each of said lugs and means for securing said prongs tosaid lugs.

In testimony whereof I hereby affi xmy signature. i i t V. ROBINSON. 

